Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary - by Wendelin Van Draanen (Paperback)

About the Book

Sammy and her friends meet Lucinda Huntley. She tells them a true tale of the Wild West, of her great-grandma Moustache Mary, and a 100-year-old family feud. When Mary's cabin burns down, Sammy thinks the cause of the fire may be a hundred years old, but the gas can she finds near the scene of the crime is new.

Book Synopsis

"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" --Midwest Children's Book Review

When Sammy and her friends meet Lucinda Huntley walking her 200-pound pig down the middle of the road, their quiet weekend in the country quickly becomes an adventure. Lucinda tells them a true tale of the Wild West, her great-grandma Moustache Mary, and a century-old family feud.

But this feud is hardly ancient history. Past and present collide--and combust!--when Mary's pioneer cabin burns to the ground. Sammy thinks the cause of the fire may be a hundred years old, but still, the gas can she finds near the scene of the crime is shiny and new. . . .

The Sammy Keyes mysteries are fast-paced, funny, thoroughly modern, and true whodunits. Each mystery is exciting and dramatic, but it's the drama in Sammy's personal life that keeps readers coming back to see what happens next with her love interest Casey, her soap-star mother, and her mysterious father.

From the Back Cover

Moustache Mary: legend, curse, killer, or savior?

When Sammy and her friends meet Lucinda Huntley walking her 200-pound pig down the middle of the road, their quiet weekend in the country quickly becomes an adventure. Lucinda tells them a true tale of the Wild West, her great-grandma Moustache Mary, and a century-old family feud.

But this feud is hardly ancient history. Past and present collide -- and combust! -- when Mary's pioneer cabin burns to the ground. Sammy thinks the cause of the fire may be a hundred years old, but still, the gas can she finds near the scene of the crime is shiny and new. . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for the Sammy Keyes series:

"Van Draanen offers such an explosive combination of high-stakes sleuthing, hilarity, and breathlessly paced action that it's impossible to turn the pages fast enough." --Kirkus Reviews

"There's no stopping Sammy."--Publishers Weekly

"An intelligent, gutsy, flawed, and utterly likable heroine."--Booklist

"Move over, Nancy Drew--a new sleuth is on the scene."--Girls' Life

"Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen's Flush and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books and you'll be right on target." --School Library Journal

"A high-quality, high-amp mystery series." --The Horn Book

"This funny, clever series is NOT for kids only. I challenge the most seasoned mystery reader to guess 'who done it.'" --Cozies, Capers, and Crimes

"Sammy Keyes comes armed with attitude." --Orlando Sentinel

"Sammy doesn't find mysteries to solve--they find her." --Arizona Republic

"Humor, romance and adventure; this story is an absolute blast." --Chicago Tribune

"If you haven't met Sammy Keyes yet, now is the time." --Children's Literature

About the Author

WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN was a classroom teacher for many years before becoming a full-time writer. The books in the Sammy Keyes mystery series have been embraced by critics and readers alike, with Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief receiving the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best children's mystery. Wendelin is also the author of many award-winning novels, including Flipped, The Running Dream, Runaway, Confessions of a Serial Kisser, Swear to Howdy, The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones, and Wild Bird. You can find her online at WendelinVanDraanen.com and @WendelinVanD, and you can follow Sammy Keyes on Facebook.